Bike rally cancelled over health and safety

A bike rally which attracts around 8000 riders has been cancelled for the first time in more than 39 years over health and safety concerns.

Cassington Bike Night has been run by the British Motorcycle Riders’ Club (BMRC) annually since 1978. But this year the club has told it must meet make new arrangements including closing the road at a cost of £1500.

The meeting, due to be held on June 27 in Cassington, Oxfordshire, was expected to raise £3000 for the village primary school but has been called off as a result of the new demands.

BMRC president Peter Carpenter said: "To date there have never been any problems. I am very disappointed. It will be a real blow to the village." He said future events were also in jeopardy.

Club member Peter Brain, 62, said: "I gather the authorities wanted us to spend a lot of money sending people on courses to be marshalls and wanted to put barriers all around the village green to stop people walking in the road."

Rodney Rose, the county council’s cabinet member for transport, said: "There are obviously genuine safety issues involved in the organisation of a large-scale rally on a public road, and the responsibility falls to the organisers of such events to provide the necessary resources."